Gas-pressure regulator



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. J. BELL. GAS PRESSURE REGULATOR.

No. 417,134. Patented Dec. 10, 1889.

N. PETERS. Phmo-Liihwgnpher, Washinglcn. 0.6.

(No Model.) 2 sheets -sheet 2.

H. J. BELL.

G'AS PRESSURE REGULATOR.

No. 417,134. I Patented Dec. 10, 1889.

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M mmlalrfflezl,

N) PETERS. Phoiouthagnpher, Whh'mglon. DQC

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD J. BELL, OF GLOUCESTER CITY, NENV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE\VELSBACII INCANDESCENT GAS LIGHT COMPANY, OF- NEIV JERSEY.

GAS-PRESSURE REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,134, dated December10, 1889.

Application filed June 6, 1889- Serial No. 313,325: (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLD J. BELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Gloucester City, in the county of Camden and State of NewJersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gas-PressureRegulators, of which the following is a speei fication.

This invention relates to that class of highpressure gas-regulators thatare especially designed to be located between a gas-meter and thesupply-main; and it has for its object to provide agas-prossure-regulating apparatus that will obviate or lessen theliability of the escape of gas into a building in the event of thesupply of gas being cut off by accident or otherwise while the burnersare open and in use and restored before said burners can be closed.

The object of my invention I accomplish 2c in the manner and bythe novelcombination of devices hereinafter described andelaimed, reference beingmade to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a verticalsection of a high- 2 5 pressure gas regulator embodying my improvements.Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line a: w of Fig. 2 with thetriple valve removed and showing the independent startingvalve. Fig. 3illustrates a modification in the construction of the triple valve.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a casing having adetachable top or cover 2, provided with a vent 3, in which anescape-pipe 4 may be inserted.

In one side of the casing 1 is an opening to receive an inlet-pipe 5,which is adapted to connect with a pipe leading from a gas-main. On theinner end of the inlet-pipe 5 within the casing 1 is a valve-casinghaving a chamber 6 and upper and lower gas-passages provided withflanges 7, 8, 9, and 10, that form what I term a quadruplex valve-seat,two of which are within said chamber, one above and one below. The pipe5 and attached chamber 6 are secured by a nut 11 on the outerscrew-threaded portion of said pipe, and the device is prevented fromturning by means of a pin or screw 12, which is passed through thevvalve-casing 1 and engages a depending flange 13 on the pipe 5 orattached chamber.

The automatic safety cut-off and regulating valves are three'innumber-an upper valve 14 above the chamber 6, an intermediate valve 15within the chamber, and a lower valve 16 below said chamber-and theyconstitute what I term a .triple valve. These valves consist of flexibleor elastic disks that are bolted or otherwise secured to intermediatestems 17, having guide-wings 18, that are adapted to move verticallywithin the flanges of the valve-seats and afford passages for the flowof gas when the valves are unseated.

It will be observed that the upper valve 14 and intermediate valves 15are adapted to automatically seat upon the valve seats or flanges 7 and9, respectively, and remain closed thereon by gravity when the supply ofgas is cut off from the regulator. These valves 14: and 15 are thereforeadapted to serve as safety cut-oft valves in a manner to be presentlyexplained, while after said valves 1& and 15 have been unseated theintermediate valve 15 and the lower valve 16, acting in conjunction withthe flanges or valve-seats 8 and 10, will serve to regulate the pressureof the gas permitted to flow through the apparatus.

In the upper part of the valve-casing 1 is a flexible diaphragm 19, ofleather or other suitable material, the outer edge of which is securedbetween the body and top of said casing. This flexible diaphragm 19 isprovided with a central rigid portion 20, preferably in the form of anannular disk, in the center of which is secured a dependingpartlytubular stem or rod 21, the upper hollow end of which is passedthrough the rigid portion of the diaphragm and externally screw-threadedfor attachment to a tubular internallythreaded cap 22, having an opening23 in its upper end. It will be seen that by this construetion a tubularchamber 24 is formed in the hollow part of the stem 21 audits cap 22,which chamber communicates through an opening 25 in its lower end withan opening or passage 26, formed transversely through the upper part ofthe diaphragm-stem. In

this chamber 2% is loosely placed an elongated vertically-movablevalve-plug 27, that is normally seated at the lower end of the chamber24, but is capable of rising under a high pressure of gas, and therebyforms an automatic safety relief-valve.

To the lower end of the rod 21 is pivoted one end of a lever 28, theother end of which is fulcrumed in a knife-edged slot 29, formed in thelower part of the flange 13. This lever 28 is pivotally connected to alug 30 on the under side of the lower regulating-valve 16, or on thelower end of a bolt 31, by which the valves 14,15, and 16 may beconnected, as shown in Fig. 3, in which the valve-stems 17 arerepresented in tubular form for the passage of said bolt 31, that issecured by a nut 32 on its upper end.

It will be seen that as the valves 1t, 15, and are connected to eachother and to the flexible diaphragm 10 they will rise and fall with thelatter under varying pressures of gas in the main-valve casing orchamber.

In one side of the quadruple valve-scat casing or inner chamber 6 is aby-pass opening 33, communicating with a similar openin g 3% in the sideof a tubular boss 35, projecting from the outside of said chamber, andin which boss is supported a longitudinally-adjustable starting-valve36, that controls the by-pass. This valve is cylindrical and partlyscrew-threaded to engage the partly-threaded interior of the boss. Theouter end of the valve 36 may be square for attachment of a wrench, andin order to afford access to the starting-valve an opening 37 isprovided in the outer valve casing or chamber 1, which opening is closedby a screw-plug 38 or other suitable means.

Vhen the regulator is placed in position and before the gas is turnedon, the cut-off valves 14: and are resting on the valveseats 7 and 9, asshown in Fig. 1. If gas is now admitted to the chamber 6, the valve 36being closed, the pressure on the under side of the valve 11 will not besufficient to overcome the pressure on the upper side of the valve 15,together with the weight of the dia phragm and its connections, and saidvalves let and 15 will consequently remain closed and prevent the accessof gas to the interior of the outer or main valve casing or chamber 1until the starting-valve is opened. On closing all the burners suppliedthrough the regulator and opening the startinga-alve 30 gas will enterthe casing 1 andaccumulate in sufficient quantity therein to raise theflexible diaphragm 1. 9 and thereby start the valves 1t and 15 fromtheir seats. The valves 15 and 16 are thus brought into position to actin conjunction with the depending valve-seats S and 10 in regulating thepressure and volume of gas admitted to and delivered through theapparatus.

If the supply of gas should be withdrawn from the apparatus by accidentor otherwise, the valves 14 and 15 will immediately drop to their seats,and if the starting-valve 36 has been properly adjusted the gas whenagain turned on will not be able to pass in any large quantity beyondthe chamber 6 unless the burners are closed. After starting the valves14: and 15 the starting-valve should be adjusted to permit the passageof only a small quantity of gas, or about one cubic foot per hour, whichwill be sufficient to providefor the automatic starting of the cut-offand regulating valves by simply closing all the burners after the gashas been withdrawn from and again supplied to the regulator. thepressure of gas in the casing or chamber 1 become excessive, thediaphragm 19 will rise, thereby closing the valves 15 and 16 againsttheir seats 8 and 10, cutting off the supply momentarily, and a ventbeing provided through the safety relief-valve 27 the said valves 15 and16 will quickly fall sufficiently to restore the normal pressure.

\Vhile the valves 14,15, and 16 occupy their normal operative positionsclear of their several valve-seats gas will fill the chamber or casing 1and flow through the outlet 89 to the burners and the pressure will beautomatically regulated and controlled by the free vertical movements ofthe safety cut-off and regulating valves. Besides effectively regulatingthe pressure, the apparatus will obviate the waste, inconvenience, anddanger frequently resulting from the withdrawal of the gas-supply whilethe burners are lighted and its restoration before they can be closed.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is 1'. The combination, in a gas-pressureregulator, of a casing having agas-chamber c0ntaining a flexiblediaphragm, a valve-casing arranged within the chamber beneath thediaphragm and having a quadruplex valveseat which is adapted tocommunicate at the top and bottom with the chamber of the easing beneaththe diaphragm, a triple valve, a by-pass from the valve-casing to thegaschambcr, a starting-valve for the by-pass, and a rod-connectionlocated within the casing between the diaphragm and the triple valve,substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a gas-pressure regulator, of a casing having agas-chamber containing a flexible diaphragm, a valve-casing arrangedwholly within the chamber beneath the diaphragm and having a quadruplexvalve-seat which is adapted to communicate at its top and bottom withthe chamber of the casing beneath the diaphragm, a triple valve for thevalve-casin g, a by-pass from the valve-casing to the gas-chamber, ascrew starting-valve adjustable to stand more or less open for varyingthe quantity of gas passing through the bypass, and a connection betweenthe diaphragm and triple valve, substantially as described.

The combination, in a gas-pressure regulator, of a casing having agas-chamber containing a flexible diaphragm which is provided with anautomatic relief-valve, a valvecasing arranged wholly within thegas-chamber beneath the diaphragm and having a Should IIO qnadrnplexvalve-seat which is adapted to tween the diaphragm and the triple VtlXG,communicate at the top and bottom with the substantially as described. 0chamber of the casingbeneath the diaphragm, In testimony whereof I haveaffixed my siga triple valve for the valve-easing, a bypass nature inpresence of two Witnesses.

5 from the valve-easing t0 the gas-chamber, a II. J. BELL.

starting-Valve adjustable to stand'more 0r Witnesses: less open to Varythe quantity of gas passing JAMES L. NORRIS,

through theby-pass, and a rod-connection be- JAMES A. RUTHERFORD.

